Instituto Cervantes Library in London

Archive for the ‘Bardem- Juan Antonio’ Category

A beautiful woman, María José Fernández Conway (Mar Flores), the daughter of a Spanish diplomat and a North American woman, goes over the most important moments of her life, since her start at a university in Madrid.

She remembers how she met Carlos (Arsenio León), a young cinema student with whom she maintained a romantic relationship; subsequently, Eduardo (Sergi Mateau) would appear, head professor of her faculty who she will see climb up the rungs of the ladder of money and power and who would become her husband.

In 60 hours, Juan, a car mechanic, will travel across the middle of Spain on his motorcycle, looking for an impossible dream. He wants to arrive at Torremolinos and like a good macho Iberian, to win the heart of female foreigners.

In the end, Juan will not find his promised land but an empty beach. During the trip, he will get to know a series of environments and people who will construct amusing and pleasant situations.

Vicente arrives in Caldeya, a snobbish village and stylish beach, to spend his holidays. As soon as he arrived, brought by Regnier, writer and drunk, he gets to know the bar The Star, meeting point of all the characters of this story, and Jenny, its owner.

Daniel, who is fifteen, is Regnier’s son and a member, on the other hand, of a gang of children, in which we find Sergio and Nadine, the same age as Daniel and who profess a pure love.

Jenny and Vicente are attracted to each other immediately. Jenny’s strong personality inspires confidence in Vicente and this gives the impression to him of being useful. Regnier meets Orange and suggests to him to continue his bohemian life.

Juan Díaz has been locked in jail for ten years for a murder he did not commit. When he is set free, he and his sister swear to kill Luis el Torcido, whom they believe is to blame for all his tragedies.

On leaving jail, Juan needs money and, when the harvesting period arrives, he decides to enrol with his sister in the harvesters’ team that Luis el Torcido organizes.

A cyclist is run over on a road by a car. María José is driving, whom Juan accompanies. They are lovers. She is married and this accident could uncover their relationship. They have not been seen. They run away.

The cyclist dies afterwards through a lack of help. A terrible feeling of guilt seizes the pair. Juan becomes aware of the reality and thinks of surrendering, though the danger has passed. María José wants to continue living as if nothing had happened. Now her obstacle is Juan: for this she finds a terrible solution.

A modest company of actors is travelling across the country, in a poor way but without losing their hope of success. The young Ana Ruiz houses a special illusion of success, and not even the love of Miguel can make her abandon her intentions. In Madrid, she warns that she would succeed if she adopted the amorous propositions of the hateful Márquez.